Final year design students from Falmouth and Chester Universities embraced a new tool to guide their innovative responses to a real-world industry brief—showcasing how design education and sustainability can intersect meaningfully.
In a collaborative project brief set by Stefan Knox of Bang Creations, final-year Product Design students were tasked with imagining a new generation of consumer electronic products. The challenge: to design at least three domestic electronic items that reflect powerful, modern brand values, with one taken through to a physical prototype. Their client, a global consumer electronics brand, wanted more than just good-looking gadgets—they were seeking product concepts that resonate with today’s increasingly sustainability-conscious consumer.
The brief outlined the shifting expectations of Gen Z, Gen X, and even millennials, who no longer want short-lived, disposable electronics. Instead, they crave long-lasting, adaptable products—objects they can repair, reuse, and grow with. In short, they want electronics that are designed to last “forever.”
To meet this demand, students explored several design frameworks, including the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s circular economy “butterfly” model, the emotive strategies of Design 9, and notably, The Design Compass—a tool created to help designers consider the intersection of commercial viability, human experience, and planetary impact.
And it was The Design Compass that truly became central to the students’ process.
“It helped spark conversations that led to new ideas or allowed us to see things in a new light,” said one student.
The Compass was used both to generate and refine ideas—its circular format and layered questioning structure prompted deep exploration of environmental and social impact, areas that many students admitted were previously unclear to them.
“I used it to dismantle my concept and build it back stronger,” another student noted. “The Compass helped me ask questions I wouldn’t normally think of.”
Students found particular value in the tool’s interactivity, with many citing the idea generation ring as a highlight of their process. It helped them push their concepts further and explore how products could embody longevity, adaptability, and emotional resonance.
“It was a great set of prompts for evaluating our ideas, especially on sustainability and social value,” one student reflected. “We even used it to review each other’s work and identify overlooked opportunities.”
The result? A range of thoughtful, visually coherent, and future-forward product concepts presented at each university’s end-of-year design shows. From modular devices that evolve with user needs, to emotionally engaging gadgets designed for repair and longevity, the outcomes clearly demonstrated the potential of design thinking powered by tools like The Design Compass.
For both universities, this project was more than just an academic exercise—it was a glimpse into the future of design education and practice, where environmental and social responsibility are at the heart of innovation.
To learn more about The Design Compass and how it’s helping shape the next generation of designers, visit [insert relevant link if available].
